Author's notes: Well, here I am for the final chapter of this wonderful story. It's much shorter than the others have been lately, but I hope you'll forgive, I didn't want to write unnecessary things when this is the grand finale (well, I don't know about grand, but it is the end).

Do I have to even mention how thrilled I am over all the reviews I got on the last chapter? When I'd gotten four reviews, I thought, "Well, this is all I usually get, and I'm happy with that," but then they just didn't stop coming. And here I am, with nine reviewers to thank:

whatanoddgirl: So glad to have you back on the list lol And I totally agree with you, Raoul is a jerk. But I hope I can change your opinion in this chapter, and if not, well, I guess he'll just have to reamin a stupid git. But he isn't. He's just very, very, very, very miserbal. And thinking way to much about Christine. Well, anyway, I'm glad you like Meg, and thanks for the review.

BringMeLife: Well, at least you reviewed on the last chapter, and that means you've read the story, so I'm happy. And I'm also glad you like it.

EriksIngenue: It's fun to read your reviews, they're unusual lol And are you serioulsy reading this to your friend? Wow, that's awsome! And I'm glad you liked the twist. I wanted to write something that wasn't all that predictable, and I guess I succeded. But the problem with writing is that you don't want to write clichés, but everything that's good is cliché, and therefor predictable, so... Well, anyway, thanks so much.

DragonheartRAB: Did you think I wouldn't update? I'm ashamed, did it take that long for the last chapter? And this one probably took even longer. But, here I am again, with the final chapter. I was so happy to read that you love the story, that really warmed my heart lol Sorry I have to end this. But thanks for the review.

poetzproblem: Thanks for poiting out the error, even though I haven't changed them yet. English isn't my mother language, that might excuse some of the faults, but I'll take a look at it and try to change it. Constructive criticism is good lol Thanks for the review.¨

phicaddictdpiratephantomprsnya: Your name is really hard to type, did you know that? Well, anyway, thanks for that short but straightforward review.

ThePhantomsShadow: It never fails to surprise me when people says that I've made them change their thinking about Raoul and Meg together. I would have thought that was a pretty obvious pairing, but when you think about it, everyone just wants to read about Erik and Christine. Or just Erik. Well, anyway, thanks so much for the review, and it's always nice to be on someone's alertlist.

Eruliss: Why is he so hung on to Christine? Honey, because he's MAD! And maybe just a little pathetic lol I don't know about starting a new story after this, but I'll probably be demanded to write a sequel, because many people won't like the end. Thanks for the review, and I hope you get your happy ending.

Fitzybabe08: Another one who's mind I've changed! I love it!I can't see why people don't like Raoul. But then, he gets the girl in the movie and the book. And we'll see about that realize his love part, maybe, maybe not. Thanks for the review!

And now, my darlings, on with the show! Enjoy!

Part XIII

Raoul lay awake the whole night thinking. Thinking about what he and Meg had said to each other a week ago, about everything they'd ever said to each other, about what he'd done to her. And, most importantly, about what Christine had said to him. Her visit that evening had been so brief, Raoul doubted it had even taken place. He had no proof she'd been there, for all he knew, it could all have been a dream. But, dream or not, it'd been good to see her. It'd been good to hear what she'd had to say, even though it had definitely not been what he'd wanted to hear. He'd wanted to hear her say that she loved him, and that she was sorry she'd ever left him.

But she hadn't. She'd said she was happy she'd left him, and that she didn't regret anything. And she'd asked him to forget her. That was what bothered Raoul the most. Meg had asked him for weeks to do so, but he'd refused, believing Christine still loved him. But now that she'd asked him to do so herself, he'd began to think that maybe he should. After all, if she didn't love him, there was no point in holding on. If she was happy with The Phantom, then Raoul should be happy for them. He was no more then twenty, he had his whole life in front of him. He'd find love again. It'd take time, but he would. Or so he tried to tell himself.

The next day he was once again pacing around his house, restless and irritated. Christine's advice that he should go and see Meg was still fresh in his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He could no longer deny that he wanted to see her, but he was afraid of the rejection that would surely come. She would refuse to talk to him and slam the door shut in his face. And Raoul wouldn't be able to handle that. He was plagued by his bad conscious, and the only way he could make that go away, was if he asked Meg for an appology. But she wouldn't except that. He'd have to beg her on his knees for forgiveness. And even though Christine had said Meg missed him, Raoul found it very hard to believe that she would forgive him just like that. What he'd done to her was unforgiveable, even if she did indeed love him, and even more if she did. Which she didn't.

The day passed by slowly. The arms of the clocks seemed to have stopped at one. The servants walked around on tiptoe, afraid to disturb their master. They served him his food in his study, and then they left him alone. Raoul was happy with that, he needed to think, even though it seemed to be the only thing he'd done for the past week.

Sometime in the afternoon, a knock came on the door.

"Enter," Raoul said from the chair behind his desk.

The maid entered, carrying a rose in her hand. "This arrived just now, sir."

Raoul waved at her to come over and give it to him. She did, curtsied and left the room.

The rose was blood red, with a white ribbon around it. The ribbon was tied together with...Raoul gasped. Tied together with the ribbon was the engagement ring he'd given to Christine, and dangling from it was a card.

What are you waiting for? You only live once.

He flew up from his chair and ran over to the door. "Gabrielle!" he called after the maid. She came out from the kitchen, a worried look in her eyes.

"Yes, sir?"

"Who delivered this rose?" Raoul asked, waving the flower in front of her.

"I do not know, sir. The door bell rang, I opened, and it was lying in the stairs."

Raoul felt like shaking her, but instead he just turned on his heel and went back into the study. He sat down behind his desk again and turned the rose in his hand. Christine placed this on the stairs, he thought. Who else could have done it?

He looked at the card again. He had few doubts that anyone but Christine had put the rose outside his door, and when he looked at the writing on the card, every doubt that was left disappeared. He knew what she'd ment by those words. She wanted him to go and see Meg, tonight.

Raoul looked at the clock in the corner. It was five. If he hurried, he'd make it to the Opera in time for that night's performance.

Raoul had trouble concentrating on the performance that evening. All he did was search for Meg in every new scene, and when she wasn't on stage, he turned his hands in his knee in desperation. What madness had made him come here without even thinking about it first? It was crazy! He'd found a rose on his dorrstep with some words written on white paper, and all of a sudden he'd decided to go and see Meg. She wouldn't want to see him. She's refuse to talk to him and slam the door shut in his face. But at least you've tried then, he conscious said.

When the performance ended, Raoul found it impossible to move from his chair. He tried to tell his feet to move him, but they just wouldn't listen. I'm just waiting to be sure Meg really is in her room when I get there, he tried to tell himself. But when he'd sat there for almost forty minutes, he couldn't come up with any more desperate lies, and finally rose from the chair.

It took him another half hour to get to her room. He had to stop at every corner and curse himself, because now he'd abandoned every try to lie to himself. But somehow his better part won and he found himself stadning outside Meg's door. He looked down at the rose he was still holding in his hand. This truly is madness, he thought, and then raised his hand and knocked.

Author's notes: Well, believe it or not, but this is the end. No more Raoul and Meg. Well, maybe if you ask nicely, I'll write a sequel. But don't get your hopes up too high!

I hope you all have liked reading this story as much as I've liked writing it, and thanks to everyone who's reviewed, you know who you are. I just have to send special thanks to Eruliss and EriksIngenue, who's reviewed every singel chapter! I love you guys so much, thanks for every singel word lol

And that all from me, drive saftely everyone!

Love, Sofia